Dec 8, 2014

Former New York Giants Pitcher: Paul Dean (1940-1941)

Paul Dee Dean was born on August 12th 1912 in Lucas, Arkansas. The six foot right hander, was the younger brother of Hall of Fame pitcher; Dizzy Dean. Paul became known as Daffy, after being a star pitcher in the minor leagues he arrived on the famous 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, Gas House Gang. The legendary Cardinal team, won the World Series that year, a team that featured Frankie Frisch, Ducky Joe Medwick, Leo Durocher, Ripper Collins & Pepper Martin. Paul made an immediate impact winning 19 games (19-11) second on the staff to his brother Dizzy who won thirty games. He had the best strikeout per nine inning ratio in the NL (5.786) as he struck out 150 batters (3rd in the NL) while pitching 233 innings with five shutouts (2nd in the NL) & posting a 3.43 ERA. On September 21st, he tossed a no hitter in Brooklyn beating the Dodgers 3-0 in the second game of a doubleheader. His brother Dizzy was the winning pitcher in the first game, after Pauls no hitter he said: "If I'da known he was gonna throw one, I'da thrown one, too."

Post Season: Daffy Paul Dean pitched a 1-0 complete game victory in Game #3 of the 1934 World Series at St. Louis, beating the Detroit Tigers Tommy Bridges. He returned for Game #6 in Detroit facing off against Schoolboy Rowe. Dean pitched a 4-3 complete game win, to bring the Series to a game seven.In 1935 the Cards finished second to the Chicago Cubs, winning 96 games, four games back. Paul Dean won 19 games once again (6th in the NL), second on the staff to brother Dizzy's 28 wins. Paul struck out 143 batters (3rd in the NL) in 269 innings pitched (4th in the NL), leading the league with nine hit batsman. The two brothers held out for contracts the next year & the layoff had an effect on Paul. He injured his throwing arm & was never the same pitcher again. He went 5-5 in 1936 but was limited to just 22 games over the next three years.In 1940 he was drafted away by the New York Giants. He went 4-4 for the sixth place Giants, posting a 3.90 ERA in 27 games. The following year he made just five appearances posting a 3.18 ERA with no decisions.Dean made just three more MLB appearances, in 1943 with the St. Louis Browns. In his nine year career he was 50-34 with 387 strike outs & 179 walks in 787 innings pitched. He had eight shut outs, with 44 complete games in 159 games posting a 3.75. Dean won 19 games when he was 30 years old pitching in the minor leagues, on team that averaged 24 years of age. After his playing days he managed in the minors for seven seasons. Retirement: After baseball he bought an airplane, a farm & a ranch. He passed away at age 68 in Arkansas in 1981.Trivia: The Dean brothers are mentioned in Abbott & Costello's "Whos On First" with a fictional French cousin; Goo-Fay Dean.